Fortune Told
by Kat J
Summary: Jason/Elizabeth (sort of) What's in a dream? (complete)


I disclaim. I don't own the characters.  
  
Fortune Told  
__________________________________  


Ric took Elizabeth's arm and wove it through the crook of his elbow, holding onto the bag of take-out in his other arm. Looking up at her husband, Elizabeth smiled faintly, but then her eyes widened when she realized what direction they were headed for.   
  


"This leads to the docks," she said softly.  
  


Ric shook his head, puzzled. "So?"  
  


Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, and tugged on his arm lightly. "Can't we go another way?"  
  


"It's faster this way. If you're scared, yo have no reason to be, I'm with you."  
  


"I just...if we run into Sonny, or Jason, they might...I just don't want any trouble." Her voice was soft and concerned. The last thing she needed was another confrontation with the mob boss and his enforcer.  
  


Stepping down the stairs, Elizabeth's stomach immediately dropped. Turning slowly she was face to face with a man she barely recognized anymore. "Jason!" she said quietly, losing her breath.  
  


Jason stood behind Ric as stone faced as ever. Sparing a glance at Elizabeth, his face softened only slightly before the mask was back in place.   
  


Sensing Elizabeth's hesitation, Ric turned around and nodded to Jason. "Jason. We don't want any trouble. We're just passing by."  
  


"Fine."   
  


"Come on Elizabeth." Ric pulled Elizabeth with him until they were out of sight.   
  


As hard as she tried not to, Elizabeth spared one glance backward and her breath hitched when her eyes connected with Jason's.   
  


________  
  


Elizabeth stared out the window in a trance. She watched as the rain pelted against the solid pane of glass and the sky broke with silver-white lightening.  
  


"Elizabeth?" Ric said softly, nudging her elbow.   
  


"Oh, I'm sorry. I must have wandered off there for a minute," she said, smiling.  
  


"Yeah, you look tired."  
  


"I'm fine, really." She waved him off.   
  


"You hardly touched dinner."  
  


"I guess I wasn't that hungry."  
  


Ric looked at her concerned. Elizabeth just hadn't been herself lately, it was beginning to worry him. "Maybe you should go up to bed."  
  


"What about you?"  
  


"I'll make it up in a little while," Ric replied absently.  
  


"Would you...could you maybe tuck me in?"  
  


"Sure, sweetheart. Just let me clean up this mess first." Ric began to clear the table. "Do you want your fortune cookie, or should I just toss them?"  
  


"Are you kidding? That's the best part."  
  


"Here." He handed her over the cookie and went about clearing the table.  
  


Elizabeth broke hers open and then stopped. "Aren't you going to have yours?"  
  


"I don't like the way they taste, and besides it's just a crock anyway."  
  


"I didn't know you were so sceptical, Mr Lansing."  
  


"I'm not, not really. Why don't you read me what yours says Mrs. Lansing?"  
  


Elizabeth pulled her hair behind her ear and bravely smiled. "Okay," she said, clearing her throat. "It says: 'your dreams hold the answers you are looking for.'"  
  


"See? Now what sense does that make?"  
  


Throwing the paper on the table, Elizabeth nodded. "You're right, it's just a sham to get people like me all excited over nothing. But still, if I have a wonderful dream tonight, I think you'll have to eat your words."   
  


"If you have a wonderful dream tonight then I will grovel for your forgiveness and buy you...I don't know...a fortune cookie factory. Will that make you happy?"  
  


"Stop it!" Elizabeth laughed.  
  


Ric came closer and placed his hands on the arms of her chair. "No, no really. Then you can go through the lot of fortunes and pick out the one that best suit your needs."  
  


Elizabeth pointed a finger into his chest playfully. "Now see, you're just making fun of me. Besides, you can't pick your fortunes, they pick you."  
  


Raising his eyebrows, Ric looked down at Elizabeth and smiled. "Is that right?"  
  


"Of course."  
  


"Well then, we better get you to bed." Bending down, Ric scooped Elizabeth into his arms and carried her up the stairs.   
  


After she'd changed into her nightgown, Elizabeth slipped into bed. Ric came beside her and turned off the lamp on the night table. Gently, he kissed her forehead and watched as her breathing evened out. "Sweet dreams, Elizabeth."  
  


--------   
  


Jason paced the docks over and over. The guy he was supposed to be meeting was already an hour late. Pulling out his cell phone he was about to dial Sonny's number when he spotted a woman coming down the stairs. Turing off the phone, he shoved it into his leather jacket.   
  


The woman walked slowly, concentrating on each step. Over her shoulder was a heavy canvas bag and her clothes were slightly tattered and out of date. She was small in stature but thick through the middle.   
  


Jason rushed over to the elderly woman. "Look lady, you can't be here right now."  
  


The woman looked up at him through a thick veil of eyelashes and shook her head. "No."  
  


"No?"  
  


"No, I stay," she said in a thick accent he couldn't quite make out the origin of.  
  


Jason checked his watch and looked over his shoulder. "I'm trying to be polite, but in five minutes there are going to be some men down here and you don't want to be here when they get here. So I suggest you head up those stairs and don't look back."  
  


Adjusting the shawl and big travelling bag over her shoulder, she looked up at him again. "No. They are not coming."  
  


Jason pinched the bridge of his nose. Was this lady for real? "What? How do you... Come on, lady, what's it going to take?"   
  


"You are not being true to your heart."  
  


"What?! Look lady, I don't know what your deal is..."  
  


"I have no 'deal' as you say. I see your heart and it is broken. You are with someone, but you do not love her, not like the other."  
  


"What other? What are you talking about?"  
  


"The one you want to be with. She makes you nervous. She sees your soul, sees past the darkness in your heart, but she has been hurt. She is fragile and yet strong, delicate and tough at the same time. Her heart is not yet healed either, but she is with another."  
  


Reaching into his pocket, Jason pulled out a thick wad of bills and offered it to her. She refused. "Lady, please, I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't leave I'm going to have to make you."  
  


"You won't hurt me," she said confidently.  
  


Jason shook his head. "Aren't you afraid of me?"  
  


"I told you I've seen your heart. There is no real evil there. You pretend you are mean, distant, but you are kind, you are brave and you love. Your heart, it's full of love."  
  


Jason looked over his shoulder to make sure there was no one lurking in the shadows.  
  


The woman's eyes became wide and he could finally make out the colour. Her eyes were storm-gray and they seemed to dance with sparkles. "Tonight you will dream."  
  


Jason cringed. "I can't dream."  
  


"Tonight you will dream," she said again. "The answers you are looking for will be there...if you pay attention."  
  


Jason stood, looking down at the lady with confusion. A rustle in the bushes captured his attention and he turned and took a few steps to investigate. There was no one there that he could see. "How are you so sure-" He turned, stopped speaking. The woman was gone.  
  


For a full minute Jason stood rooted in the same spot trying to process what had just happened. Finally, he pulled himself out of the trance he was in and whipped out his cell phone. "Sonny, they're not coming."   
  


Turning off the phone, he started walking back up the stairs and headed for home.  
  


Courtney was already asleep when he got there and he slipped into bed quietly. She didn't stir nor wake and so he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

__________  
  


When Jason woke up his head was pounding and his eyes were sore. The bed was empty and cold. He figured she'd dressed and gone shopping or to the market. Quickly he showered and put on fresh clothes and then stepped out into the fresh air.   
  


Stopping at a road-side vender he picked up a bouquet of flowers and laughed at himself when he stopped in front of a mirror. He wore the goofiest expression of anyone he'd ever seen. That's what love did to you, he figured. Dodging traffic and street performers Jason stopped in his tracks when he spotted her.  
  


Her hair was long and blew gently in the wind. He actually could feel his heart beat picking up speed and his lungs felt tight. She was beautiful.  
  


She could feel his eyes on her even before she heard his muted steps behind her. He presented her with the flowers before she could see his face and she laughed that slow, charming laugh that always made him smile.  
  


"I didn't take you for a flowers kind of guy."  
  


"I'm not, I just thought you'd like them."  
  


"I do. Thank you, Jason." She turned then and placed her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a long, slow kiss.  
  


Spinning from the intensity of it, Jason rested his forehead against hers. "Been here long?"  
  


"No," she said, turning in his arms. He moved his hands so they were around her waist and smelled the soft scent of her hair as it blew around his cheek. "It really is amazing, isn't it? I never dreamed the colours would be this vivid."  
  


He smiled. "I tried to tell you."  
  


"Since when do I listen to you?" She teased.  
  


He laughed. "And here I thought marriage would change things."  
  


Kissing his hand, she sighed. "It did."  
  


Concerned, he turned her around so she was looking at him. Her face was flushed and her eyes were a warm blue. "What do you mean?"  
  


"Look around us Jason. We're in Italy on our honeymoon. I never thought this day would come."  
  


Jason sighed. He cupped her face between his large hands. "I made a promise to you."  
  


Reaching up, she kissed him softly. "I know. I just..."  
  


Tilting her head, she looked toward the sky and her face fell. Storm clouds were rolling in and the first sounds of thunder worshipped the sky. The lightening came quickly and consistently. Rain beat down heavy and hard. She closed her eyes to avoid the sting and turned her head into Jason's chest. In the process she dropped the bouquet of flowers and bent down to pick them up.   
  


By the time she righted herself, the fog was dense and she could barely make out Jason's shape. Searching for his hand through the heavy shroud of fog, she struggled to find him.   
  


"Jason!" she called, her voice weak and sounding very far away.  
  


Jason struggled through the fog to find her. His eyes were burning and his head ached. No matter how much he strained, he just couldn't find her. "Elizabeth!"  
  


"Elizabeth!" Jason jolted out of bed. Sweat rolled down his naked chest and back. Looking beside him, he was satisfied that Courtney was still asleep.   
  


Shaking his head, he rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. It was still in darkness. Running his fingers through his hair, he tried to process what had just happened. He had dreamt. He couldn't dream though. None of it made any sense. 

--------------  
  


Elizabeth mumbled in her sleep. She tossed and turned, almost falling out of bed, until she was awake. Slowly, she sat up and turned to make sure Ric wasn't woken up by her sleep-talking. Sure enough Ric was snoring quietly and had no clue what was going on. Carefully, Elizabeth lifted the blankets from her body and slipped out of bed.  
  


Somehow Elizabeth ended up at the pier. The air was cold, but she didn't really mind. It gave her a chance to clear her head.  
  


Wrapping her arms around herself, her ears perked up when she heard a noise behind her. She turned around and her heart raced in her chest.  
  


"Jason! I-I didn't think anyone would be here at this time of night."  
  


Coming closer, Jason offered Elizabeth his jacket. "It's late, Elizabeth, you shouldn't be here alone."  
  


Reluctantly, Elizabeth put on the oversized jacket and continued to stare out at the water. "I know it was stupid for me to come here on my own, but I had this dream...it doesn't matter." She bit her lip and made brief eye contact before she looked away.  
  


Jason watched her for a long while. He switched his weight from foot to foot.  
  


"Why are you looking at me like that?" Elizabeth asked, self-consciously.  
  


Jason debated with himself for a moment before he spoke. "I-I had a dream tonight too." He moved over to one of the benches and sat down.   
  


Elizabeth followed him and sat on the edge. "I thought you couldn't dream."   
  


Jason stared at his hands and didn't look at her for a long minute. "So did I. I met this woman tonight...it was weird."  
  


"What was it about?"  
  


"What?" Jason asked, confused. He ran his hand through the back of his hair. Talking to Elizabeth was harder than he thought it would be.   
  


Elizabeth smiled faintly. "The dream, what was it about?"  
  


Jason shook his head. "I'm not really sure."  
  


"Oh," she said and turned her attention back to the water. The faint sound of a buoy shifting in the current caught her attention and she realized she couldn't see it, so it was still late. "I should probably head home." She stood and then so did he a moment later.   
  


"Yeah, me too," he said, stalling as if he had more to say. "Yeah."  
  


Elizabeth took off his jacket and handed it back, then turned to go. "See you, Jason."  
  


Jason gently grabbed her elbow and turned her toward him. "Elizabeth?"  
  


Elizabeth looked down at his hand and felt her chest tighten and her breathing grow shallow. His touch still affected her. "Yeah?"  
  


"Do you need a ride?"  
  


"I really shouldn't."   
  


"Okay." Jason stepped back and let her arm go. "Elizabeth?"  
  


"Yeah, Jason?" She smoothed her fingers through her hair and he caught the glimmer of her wedding band against the water.   
  


He sighed deeply. "I...It was about Italy," he mumbled, "the dream, it was about Italy." His heart pounded painfully in his chest.   
  


She shut her eyes tight and shook her head to clear it. "Mine too. Were we... did you and I.... Did you see the glassblowers?"  
  


Jason nodded. His throat felt tight and he swallowed the lump that had formed there before he spoke again. "Yeah, we did."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
